Daines Returns From China Trip – Many Questions About North Korea

Montana Senator Steve Daines returned this weekend from a trip to China, where he talked about trade, but the majority of questions with Chinese leaders revolved around North Korea.

Daines said wherever he went in China, there were questions about North Korea and its nuclear threats to its neighbors, South Korea, Japan and the United States.

"We were very direct in asking the Chinese to help us with trade sanctions and so forth with North Korea because China is North Korea's largest trading partner," Daines said. About 90 percent of North Korea's trade occurs with China, so they'll be key here in terms of sanctions and trade as a lever to stop the nuclear program there in North Korea."

The focus of trade with China was all about Montana beef, as Daines actually transported a cooler with four Montana beef steaks to deliver to the Chinese Premiere from Miles City rancher Fred Wacker.

"I gave him a photograph of Fred Wacker's ranch, so the premiere could see where these cattle were born and where they grew up, and the premiere looked at the picture, and in broken English asked, 'Is this a cowboy'?, and I said yes, that's a real Montana cowboy, that's Fred Wacker."

China is Montana’s third largest trading partner behind Canada and South Korea.